How to not make a fool of myself on dd last day of primary school

[theSliceOfPie]

Anyone got any tips?

I'm already feeling emotional about it and dd doesn't leave for a couple of weeks.

Leaving primary feels like such a big thing.

For context, I've cried every time she's moved up a year, some people will think this is pathetic but it's just the way I am. I don't like change. Shes had had the same TA for 5 years too.

I just don't want to be the only parent at pick up, sobbing their heart out.

I've always just been happy and excited for them moving on myself, but I totally get that other people cry.

Still remember hearing the same song sung by the whole school every summer plus practised by the DDs and it did nothing but irritate. Until that last sunny afternoon.

Geronimo

As I stand on the ground and look at the sky
I can’t help wondering why oh why
Am I going to fly so far above
The places I know and the people I love
I’ll be taking a deep breath, filling my lungs
And getting ready to take the plunge

Geronimo * Here I go *
This is it the moment I’ve been
waiting for **
Praying for **
Open up my parachute and fly…

As I sit in the ‘plane and look all around
I notice it’s a long way down
Then the doors open wide and there’s the earth
It’s happening now so with all my worth
I’ll be taking a deep breath, filling my lungs
And getting ready to take the plunge

Geronimo * Here I go *
This is it the moment I’ve been
waiting for **
Praying for **
Open up my parachute and fly…
As I hang in the air I can hear my heart beat
And very slowly I look at my feet
I see cauliflower trees and patchwork land
People and animals fit in my hand
I have taken a deep breath and filled my lungs
And with my friends, I take the plunge.

Geronimo * Here I go *
This is it the moment I’ve been
waiting for **
Praying for **
Open up my parachute and fly…

As I stand on the ground again looking up there
I just can’t wait to get back in the air
It was such a good feeling, IT WAS GREAT
And I’ll admit I just can’t wait
To be taking a deep breath, filling my lungs
And getting ready to take the plunge.

Geronimo * Here I go *
This is it the moment I’ve been
waiting for **
Praying for **
Open up my parachute and flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I was all right at the final Y6 assembly, until they started singing One More Step Along The World I Go 😭😭😭

@GiantKitten

My last primary child left 17 years ago. The final Y6 assembly always sang this, and just reading the lyrics at home now & remembering the joyful little voices still reduces me to a blubbering mess. Honestly, you’re supposed to cry. Heart of stone not to

We are the Young in performance. Guaranteed to destroy every adult within range. 😢

Aah, I've already had a couple of teary moments at my youngest leaving primary school in 2 weeks.

Most recently, today, when she walked home all by herself for the first time. And last week, when they were practising their leavers play via teams as they were isolating. Their teacher's only been with them 6 months & he was trying to wipe away a tear or two without the kids noticing too.

It's a strange feeling knowing they're growing up & need you that little bit less, but need you just as much, all at the same time.

I'm so glad others are emotional too. It really feels hard letting them go!

Reading this thread has made me cry 😭 and my oldest is only in p!

Sunglasses!

I sobbed with both of my DDs and no doubt I'll do the same with DS in a couple of years. Just go with, everyone was in tears x

I'm glad where I live there's no big assembly with parents crying at the back.

We left on the last day. Then on the first day of high school we met up to walk in. No big assembly at the end of high school either.

I shed a few tears

I didn’t get overly emotional he is happy healthy and growing up what is there to get so emotional about it’s all good

A lot of way over the top self indulgent competitive crying went on as ds and a week of dragged out leaving celebrations that got more emotional as the week went on

Just do what's natural to you but make sure you are also show you are excited about the future and growing up. I generally just felt excited about new stages and proud that the children were ready to move on and ready to progress . I did have a tear for my last one leaving primary as it was the end of a big chunk of my life.

For a while I’ve realised that all three of my children will start new schools in the same week at some point.

I’ve just realised that all three will therefore be leaving their old schools/nursery at the same time. Preparing for emotion…

It’s funny, nobody cried when we left primary in the 80s. We didn’t do any special assemblies or anything. Everyone just went home as normal like any other day, apart from the excitement about it being the summer hols.

bonbonours I had the same last year. One child left infant school and the other left junior school. We had no leavers assemblies or good byes because neither child was in school after the 20th of March. I did not have to try not to cry through the assemblies.

Considering I teach y5 and will still see my current class around next year, and am NOT A PARENT, and still can’t think about the last day of bloody year 5 hurtling ever closer without getting a bit choked up… I think you’re fine 😂 often I’m pretty stoic in school even during things I think I’ll find hard (done plenty of goodbyes before) but I’m concerned it’ll fail me this time…

I am going against the grain here. Think about what message crying gives your child. Tears = sadness, something to miss and upset. Instead, be excited and congratulate them that they are ready for the next step in their lives.

@VenusClapTrap

It’s funny, nobody cried when we left primary in the 80s. We didn’t do any special assemblies or anything. Everyone just went home as normal like any other day, apart from the excitement about it being the summer hols.

Exactly. I left Primary in 1990 and we had a bit of an early finish that day and I remember we were given an extra long playtime rather than being in the classroom for some of the afternoon. That was it.

All this massive fuss and creating situations where everyone is crying because everyone else doesn't strike me as particularly healthy.

It wasn't like that at ours, I thought it would be but really it wasn't. When my first left it didn't seem like too big a deal because my youngest was still there, when she left, it was "I'm so done with all that now" more than anything else. A little emotional yes, but no one was actually crying.

@finkirt

I am going against the grain here. Think about what message crying gives your child. Tears = sadness, something to miss and upset. Instead, be excited and congratulate them that they are ready for the next step in their lives.

How about both?

Showing them that it’s okay to have a mixture of feelings - excited, sad, nervous, happy - all at once.

I mean if you don’t feel sad, don’t force it but your children will know if you’re hiding an emotion and that is scarier than seeing you upset.

Everyone will be the same Hopefully you will be wearing a mask so it may be easier to disguise! I try not to do a full on wail but let tears slowly course down my cheeks and do a discreet dab now and then 🤣.

I am still gutted DS2 didn't get his leavers assembly last year because of covid.

Just bring tissues, everybody will be crying.

I have somewhat trained myself not to cry at everything by pinching the inside of my thigh really hard. This works to a degree for me as a teacher, I still get really emotional as a parent.

My eldest leaving was an utter anti-climax.
I made a big effort to be the one to pick her up etc and she just walked out the door, vaguely waved at a friend and then walked off. That was it.
She’d been happy there but she was too excited for the next thing!
Think I shed a tear at the assembly bit.

I am another one who lives in an alternate universe because at dd's leavers assembly we all laughed, smiled, cheered etc. One woman was crying. In fact she was howling and wailing and pissed off quite a few people but nobody else was.